While Mark Newnham’s wait for a Hong Kong win goes on, the Australian will be one of just seven trainers with a presence in the best race of the season so far at Sha Tin on Sunday.

Comfortably Newnham’s highest-rated galloper on a mark of 102, Tourbillon Diamond resumes in a Group Two Sha Tin Trophy (1,600m) featuring the likes of California Spangle, Russian Emperor, Beauty Eternal and Straight Arron.

“It’s nice to be able to compete in a race like this,” Newnham said. “I think he’ll be better suited second up. I’ll probably run him in the [Group Three Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse] at the 1,800m. It’ll be nice to see him run well on Sunday and get us to the second-up run in good shape.”

First-season trainer Newnham has enjoyed working with Tourbillon Diamond in recent months, becoming more familiar with a horse he had already seen plenty of in Australia.

When named Eric The Eel, Tourbillon Diamond finished third in the 2020 Group One Australian Derby (2,400m), one spot ahead of Newnham’s Shadow Hero, who was also sold to Hong Kong but returned to Newnham in Australia after the 2021 Classic Series.

“I saw enough of him here before he went to Hong Kong. He raced against Shadow Hero a few times,” Newnham said of 2021 Ladies’ Purse winner Tourbillon Diamond.

“He started last season in terrific form, and then, for whatever reason, the second half of the season, he just lost all form. He arrived to me in excellent condition. He’s sound, and hopefully, a change of environment down there at the Olympic stables will agree with him.”

Andrea Atzeni will ride Tourbillon Diamond after trialling him twice in the past month, and Newnham hopes the Italian jockey can help him revitalise the seven-year-old.

“The owner left it up to me who to put on him in the first run, so we had to find someone who was going to be able to ride light and obviously someone with a good record,” Newnham said.

“I think the other thing with getting him on the horse is that – a bit like me – it’s a clean set of eyes and a clean set of hands. No one with an opinion of him – positive or negative.

“He’s been happy with his work, and so have I. I’ve ridden him a lot in the past couple of months, and he’s a lovely old horse. He doesn’t move like an old horse – he moves well – so hopefully, we can find a little bit more petrol in the tank.”

Newnham looked to have a chance to break his Hong Kong duck at last Sunday’s washed-out meeting, with Mission Bravo and All Is Ready missing runs, but he is not getting carried away about the hopes of Happy Hero and Stoicism from wide draws at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

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“I had two good chances in on Sunday, so I was a bit upset the races weren’t on, but I understand the rules, so that’s OK,” Newnham said.

“Mission Bravo’s turn will come on [October 25], hopefully. He’ll trial later this week, then on the 25th, there’s the same race on the all-weather. He’s in good form.

“Not from those draws, no,” Newnham added when asked if he had a winning chance at the midweek meeting.